Chelsea defender Reece James suffered a serious knee injury against AC Milan during their Champions League clash at the San Siro back in October. James is continuing to build up his fitness after Graham Potter revealed the right wing-back is back in first team training and is likely to feature against Bournemouth this evening.
The 23-year-old is one of the most influential players in Potter's squad having scored two goals and provided two assists in 11 appearances so far this term. James was omitted from England's World Cup squad after not being risked despite progressing quicker than expected in his recovery from injury.
The Blues are facing a crucial second half of the season after losing their last four fixtures in all competitions before the Premier League paused in November. Chelsea are currently sat eighth in the table, nine points adrift of a top four spot, and will be hoping their form improves drastically so that they remain in the Champions League next season.
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There is an expectation that Chelsea will spend in the January transfer window to bolster the first-team squad. A new centre-back is wanted – with talks continuing over Monaco's Benoit Badiashile – while someone to cover for James at right wing-back, a new central midfielder, and another striker are desired.
Denzel Dumfries enjoyed an impressive World Cup campaign with the Netherlands and continues to be linked with a switch to Stamford Bridge from the San Siro. The Blues have a strong relationship with Inter after their negotiations regarding Romelu Lukaku and could look to complete a deal for the Dutch defender in January as they look to find a capable backup and competition for James.
Inter are considering making a move for Bayern Munich’s Noussair Mazraoui, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport. The 25-year-old Morocco international impressed during the Qatar World Cup, helping his nation reach the semi-final, and is considered an ideal replacement should the Dutch defender leave the Italian giants.
This has opened up the chance for the Blues to sign Dumfries in January with Inter now having identified a capable replacement for the right wing-back.
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